New methodology for describing the equilibrium beach profile applied to the Valencia's beaches

Mathematical models used for the understanding of coastal seabed morphology play a key role in beach nourishment projects. These projects have become the fundamental strategy for coastal maintenance during the last few years. Accordingly, the accuracy of these models is vital to optimize the costs of coastal regeneration projects. Planning of such interventions requires methodologies that do not generate uncertainties in their interpretation. A study and comparison of mathematical simulation models of the coastline is carried out in this paper, as well as elements that are part of the model that are a source of uncertainty. The equilibrium profile (EP) and the offshore limit corresponding to the depth of closure (DoC) have been analyzed taking into account different timescale ranges. The results have thus been compared using data sets from three different periods which are identified as present, past and future. Accuracy in data collection for the beach profiles and the definition of the median grain size calculation using collected samples are the two main factors that have been taken into account in this paper. These data can generate high uncertainties and can produce a lack of accuracy in nourishment projects. Together they can generate excessive costs due to possible excess or shortage of sand used for the nourishment. The main goal of this paper is the development of a new methodology to increase the accuracy of the existing equilibrium beach profile models, providing an improvement to the inputs used in such models and in the fitting of the formulae used to obtain seabed shape. This new methodology has been applied and tested on Valencia's beaches.

Beach profile changes : east coast of Lake Michigan, 1970-72 /

"October 1975."

Beach Profile Analysis System (BPAS) /

"June 1982."

Calculating a yearly limit depth to the active beach profile /

Issued September 1977.

Mine waste beach profile and flow resistance equations

Four mine waste beach longitudinal profile equations are compared theoretically and in statistical analyses of profile data from 64 field and laboratory beaches formed by mine tailings, co-disposed coal mine wastes, and sand. All four equations fit the profile data well. The best performing equation both accounts for particle sorting and satisfies hydraulic constraints, and the combination of assumptions underlying it is considered to best represent the processes occurring on mine waste beaches. Combining these assumptions with the Lacey normal equation leads to a variant of the Manning resistance equation. Features that it is desirable to incorporate in theoretical and numerical models of mine waste beaches are listed.

Effect of sea water level rise on sandy beach profile

Study of batch profile evolution and scouring effect due to the wave and current impacts in the coastal zone has been one of the most important issues in coastal engineering research projects during the past decades .to construct the coastal protective structures such piers, breakwaters and seawalls, it is necessary to estimate the scouring depth and bed level changes in the vicinity of such structures. Furthermore, the time - dependent changes in the equilibrium profile of the surf zone can be of great importance in designing coastal structures. Because of the importance of coastal engineering study in Iran due to the existence of two important coastal area located in the north and south parts of the country, and due to the lack of classified data in this respect (particularly the effect of sea level rise on coastal morphology) in the present study, based on the available data of Bandar Anzali region, an analysis of the coastal zone behavior is made. Bed level elevations are measured and compared with the theoretical equilibrium profile. It is shown that the behavior of the coastal zone in the region is consistent with the dean (equilibrium profile . In the next stage, following extensive investigations, the bed level changes due to a rise in sea level at different locations in the surf zone are estimated. Finally based on the results obtained for profile evolution due to sea level rise, the conclusion is made for design of coastal structures located in the study area. The results obtained from the present study indicate that the sea level rise can have a significant effect on beach profile and resulting erosion in the study area. The results are graphically presented with can be used for design purposes and establishing a data base for the coastal zone in the study region. It is believed that the present work can be regarded as a contribution to the existing knowledge of coast process in the study area and referred to as a basis for the future coastal research projects.

Morphodynamics of structurally controlled headland-bay beaches in southeastern Brazil: A review

This paper presents a comprehensive review on the interaction between hydrodynamic processes, beach morphology and sedimentology at large scale coastal behaviour along the coastline of Santa Catarina, between Laguna and Sao Francisco Island, a microtidal east coast swell environment with headland and bay geomorphologies. The parabolic bay shape equation has proven to be a convenient and practical tool for studying the stability of the headland-bay beaches, tombolos, and salients in Santa Catarina. The beaches exhibit different patterns of sediment removal as a function of the degree of beach curvature. In highly curved beaches, there is a well-developed shadow zone and a range of morphodynamic conditions, from a sheltered low-energy beach adjacent to the downdrift headland to a high-energy exposed beach on the straight end of the headland-bay beach. The less curved beaches instead, tend to show more uniform behaviour since they are directly exposed to incident waves. There is no obvious relationship between average wave height and mean grain size, showing the importance of sediment source to characterize the sedimentary distribution patterns in the study area. The analysis of beaches showed that beach morphodynamics and sequence profiles for a bay-headland coast in a microtidal east coast environment is a function of geological inheritance (e.g., distance between headlands and orientation, nearshore and inner shelf morphology, coastal plain morphology, and sediment source), and hydrodynamic factors (wave conditions, oceanic wave exposure and relative tidal range). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolução Quaternária da Baixada de Jacarepaguá a partir de perfis GPR

O trabalho presente tem como enfoque o estudo da evolução quaternária da Baixada de Jacarepaguá situada no estado do Rio de Janeiro através do uso do método GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar). Os numerosos estudos feitos na Baixada de Jacarepaguá, baseados nas curvas de variação do nível do mar em diferentes setores da costa Brasileira (MARTIN et al. 1985) e datações ao radiocarbono contribuíram na elaboração de um modelo evolutivo no Pleistoceno e no Holoceno. Esse modelo mostra em primeiro lugar episódios transgressivos em 7000-5100 anos BP, 3900-3600 anos BP e 2700-2500 anos BP e episódios regressivos a 5100-3900 anos BP, 3600-2700 anos BP e depois de 2500 anos BP. Esses episódios de variações do nível relativo do mar tiveram por consequência a constante evolução da Baixada de Jacarepaguá do estado de ilha-barreira com uma e depois duas barreiras (interna e externa), fruto da inundação da planície por invasão marinha em episódios transgressivos, a um estado de planície costeira emersa em episódios regressivos com barreira progradante direção ao mar e processos erosivos associados. Esse modelo evolutivo não inclui dados processados obtidos com o GPR, método que permite por impulsos eletromagnéticos de alta freqüência gerar um perfil de refletores baseado nas descontinuidades elétricas na subsuperficie. Os perfis levantados e processados nesse trabalho permitiram confirmar esse modelo evolutivo, mostrando uma sucessão de migração do perfil de praia e geometria sedimentar associada em resposta as numerosas variações eustática local.

The effect of shore armoring on beach slope in mixed sand-and-gravel beaches

Senior thesis written for Oceanography 445

Beach changes at Long Beach Island, New Jersey, 1962-73 /

Beach profile line data collected from 32 profile sites along Long Beach Island, New Jersey. A total of 2,158 profile line surveys were examined, using empirical eigenfunction analysis and other measures of beach variability. Most profile lines have shown an accretionary trend since 1962 with rates between 2.3 and 0.24 meter per year in spite of erosion estimates due to sea level rise on the order of 0.68 meter per year. A great deal of variability in profile line change takes place along the beach, increasing from north to south, due to the location of profile lines relative to structures and offshore linear shoals. Detailed closely spaced profile lines taken over a year in a groin field near the north end of the island indicate littoral transport directions shift from north to south. Evidence of a littoral transport node near the north end of the groin field has been found. Net transport of the node is toward the south, but the rate could not be established due to lack of adequate wave data. Profile line variability within groin cells shows that single profile lines are not sufficient to determine the net change within a cell. The design of future beach monitoring studies should consider coastal structures, offshore bathymetry, the method of analysis, and the scales of processes under study. A coastal storm in November 1968 moved the MSL back as much as 22 meters; however, the beach recovered without artificial measures. The offshore bathymetry shows a series of shoreface-connected linear shoals at several locations along the island. Limited data show that these have remained stable and that most beach variability takes place in water shallower than 3 meters.

Beach changes at Holden Beach, North Carolina, 1970-74 /

Beach profile lines at 21 near-evenly spaced intervals along Holden Beach, North Carolina, between Lockwoods Folly and Shallotte Inlets, were measured from November 1970 to December 1974. These have been analyzed to determine the spatial and temporal variabilities on long-term, seasonal, and short-term scales. Profile lines near the inlets showed the greatest variability in mean sea level (MSL) position, above MSL volume, foreshore slope, and profile envelope. This variability near Lockwoods Folly Inlet was partly enhanced by artificial nourishment at profile line 2. Temporary, low-cost shore protection devices (e.g., sandbag groins) were constructed near that inlet during part of the study. No other modifications or activities that affected beach processes were known to occur during the study period. The central part of Holden Beach was studied separately because of the high variability of the inlet sections at either end of the island. Foreshore slopes along this reach increased from an average of 1:30 at the east end to 1:17 at the west. A seasonal change in above MSL volume indicates loss of sand during autumn and winter, and gain during spring and summer. Changes in MSL shoreline intercept and above MSL volume were highly variable during the study.